The United States is now reporting that around half of the Bee population has mysteriously died. This has people wondering how badly this will effect the pocket book. Without Bees to pollinate the flowers of many crops in America, farmers are looking at major set backs.

Here is just an example of the domino effect this crisis will have on not only America, but the world.

More than 1,000 of Brubaker’s hives are now in California pollinating almond trees.

“The almond groves, it’s very essential to have bees,” Brubaker says. “They might produce 400 pounds to the acre if there’s no bees; with bees, it’s 2,000 to 3,000 pounds per acre.”

California produces 80 percent of the world’s almonds, according to the Almond Board of California, and this year required 1.4 million bee hives to pollinate the flowers. Almond growers typically rent two or more hives per acre.

Now if California does not get the bees they need to pollinate their almond crops the farmers will lose money. This will drive the price of almonds way up, and effect everyone in some way.

There is much speculation on what is causing this decline in the bee population. The reason is called "colony collapse disorder", but as of yet nobody knows what is the cause of this disorder, some attribute it to a type of mite that can kill bees, or chemicals being absorbed through the plant and transmitting to the pollen. More information can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_Collapse_Disorder

All I have to say to gardeners this year is, be prepared to pollinate your own flowers!